Bloodsoaked Sympathy
by Sirius Lover for Life
Summary: Why did Ted Tonks disappear, leaving his family to fend for themselves? And how does Harry connect with this? [updates every so often]
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Until that day...these people ain't mine.

------

The rain poured down like all hell. She paced back and forth through the kitchen, glancing out the large picture window every now and then through slitted eyes, infused with anguish and worry. She tried sitting down at the table but could not, finding she could not settle until she knew...until she had confirmed...

He hadn't been home for days now. It was nearing the seventh day, marking of a week, and still she wondered, what had become of her husband? Was it someone else, or had he...she shuddered at the thought of either. Maybe he'd gotten lost! After all, she knew in her heart Ted Tonks would never die before his time-and yet he would be willing to do that before go with another woman. She paced back and forth, that rain still pounding.

A little girl with short off-blonde hair and hazel eyes came down the staircase, dragging an oversized teddy bear behind her. Andromeda turned to look at her daughter, and gave a shy smile, knowing that her eyes and hair, and the bear, had been inherited from her father. People were not even be able to make an association between mother and daughter, they looked so different. With the slight exception of the noses-they were, in a way, similar. But the girls' nose seemed to always be changing, these past days- the days since she last saw her father. The woman shook her head, imagining that her daughter's physical alterations were due to her missing her father. With shaking arms, the mother picked up her daughter, and embracingly carried her up the steps, softly cooing, "Daddy will be home soon, darling...Daddy will be home."

"Papa! Papa!" there were tears in her eyes now, and it was too much for her to take. Arms still quivering, she placed the girl in her bed, and with a good-night kiss, turned and left for her own down the hall.

That night, the young girl had dreams. Not necessarily nightmares, just-dreams. Oddly familiar, they were something she could recognize but not quite recall. This time, she dreampt of an open field, dark, dark, darker than anything known to man. From it issued unearthly gasps and suspires, Hellish wailings. They were looking for something...desperately. She felt a sudden surge of such emotion she had not felt in her life, never. She was there, crying with the thing, in that field, sharing its pain, its searching, its longing...

She woke with a spectral scream.


	2. Chapter Two

-Nineteen Years Later-

------

The woman with pink hair walked through the door to the welcoming that she knew quite well by now:

People were scrambling all around, pots and pans were flying everywhere, a hairy man had his feet propped up on the table and was being scolded by a red-haired woman. On the floor, an angry-looking cat flew between people's legs, adding to the madness. All through this, the all-too-familiar voice of a howling mad-woman screamed on.

Tonks brightly shut the door and gave the crowd before her a cheery, "Hello!" A man with long, black hair set down his cup of tea and the morning paper, five children of different shapes and sizes, but sporting the same red hair, looked up and muttered their "hellos", and the woman previously scolding the man rushed up to her urgently.

"Tonks...glad you could make it...here, sit down...eat." The woman practically shoved her into a chair, and with a wave of her wand, set a plate before her. Tonks picked up her fork, but obnoxious snickers stopped her.

"Well, what's so funny!?"

"Nothing...but, Tonks, you never told us about your 'liking' for the younger generations..." came Fred with a smirk.

Tonks had an idea of what he was talking about, but ignored it for the moment, and instead got up to help Remus Lupin shut the curtains on the howling portrait of Mrs. Black. She sat back down to eat, but-

"Well? Aren't you going to tell us why Oliver was here looking for you-"

She quickly replied, "Awww, I bet he was going to ask me about Quidditch! We share an interest there, and I told him if he needs help over the summer-"

"-with _roses_!?" Everyone around the table started laughing. George added, "Plus, he's already been signed as a pro-why would he need _your_ help?"

Tonks stood up, knocking over her chair as she did this, and sputtered,

"For-your-information-laddy-I-am-a-good-Quidditch-player-and-I- will-take-you-on-right-now-if-you-don't-beleive-me."

"Ooooh, sounds like a challenge, George", said Bill. Tonks turned to him, apparantly noticing him for the first time.

"Bill! When did you get here?"

"Just this morning...figured I'd stop by for a bit, got nothing better to do this summer..."

The whole Weasley family went stiff at this and pretended to look busy. Ginny whispered to Tonks, "Bill, um...lost his job."

"Bill can, um...._hear_ you." said Bill, who was right next to her. He sighed and explained,

"Damn goblins got new _management_...they've gone strictly all-goblin, and thereby decided to sack all wizards." He made a face, and George piped in,

"Oh, and Bill, don't forget, they sacked witches, too..."

"...meaning he gets to spend more time with precious _Fluer_." finished Fred. "She's not in the Order, too damn ignorant to know about it, but from time to time she'll stop in for a meal."

"Yeah, the freeloader!" steamed Ginny. Her mother, however, said,

"Of course, we're always happy to feed our company. And Fred! George! Don't dare label her 'too ignorant to know'...need I remind you that-"

"We're too young to be in the order, _still_." finished the twins in mock authority.

"Oh, please don't let us start **this** again!" said Remus.

The man previously reading the paper, in clear attempt to change the subject, spoke now for the first time, "How about that Quidditch challenge now, George?"  
Tonks smiled and said,

"That's right...almost on!" George laughed and replied, "Sure. Any day. But be warned-I've improved since last year."

"Aw, I see, we're a bit over-confident now, are we?" said Sirius slyly. "Just know that, as shameful as it is to admit, ever since she was old enough to pick up a broomstick, she's kicked my ass at the sport." Tonks said with a grin,

"I remember those days-"

Fred then interrupted,  
"Well, no offense, dear Padfoot, but it's slightly unfair to judge one's skills in comparison to your Lesser ones..."

"Meaning I'm a lousy Quidditch player?!" demanded Sirius and Tonks at the same time. Bill stood up and said excitedly, "Looks like we have a declaration of War! Let me be a captain?"

So those who could Apparate, did, to the Burrow. With the exception of Molly, who stayed back to watch the-

"**Children**?! We're not! Come on, I wanna go home to watch them play-"

"NO, Ronald," came Molly wearily. It's not wise to leave the house unattended, you know that...and the fact that Sirius left...scares me. You already know this!"

"But, Mum, the Burrow's far away from everything, he'll be fine, and so will we!" protested Ginny. Her mother just sighed, and said with a leave- it-alone-already look,

_"No."_

That had been enough.

-At the Burrow-  
"Captains, shake hands!" said Remus. Tonks and George crossed the dewy lawn and shook firmly, forced looks of importance on their faces, although it was obvious that each was trying not to crack a smile. Remus continued,

"On your mark...get set..." he blew a whistle, and they were off.  
Crap, people, I'm sorry, but I just don't feel like explaining Quidditch in detail. Just assume they're all flying around and stuff, and I'll leave the rest to JKR.

All of a sudden-

A Bludger zoomed by, clipping Tonks's ear. She reached her hand up to check for injury, when Fred gave a loud,

"Heads up!!"

The Bludger had flown back and finished off the job.

-


	3. Chapter Three

It had him. It had him. It had him in its grasp, clutching to it,_ feeding _off of it, a _leech. _It had him. It had him, and it wasn't about to let him go. It wasn't about to let him go for anything, anyone, anytime. It wasn't about to let him go. _It had him._

_------_

"She's _alright, _she's alright. Run in and get some ice, there's a good chap."

"Glad she's alright, there, but I don't appreciate being referred to as some kind of- _dog_, there, Sirius."

"Ha- wait Fred, that was a joke, right?"-

"Shaddup George, and fetch some ice. _That's_ a good boy."

"Looks as though she's unconscious- but she's waking up! I can't tell whether or not she can hear us- Tonks! Tonks! Oh dear, she's out again. Perhaps we should get Molly-"

"No, Moony." said Sirius firmly. "Honestly, could you see her reaction? As if she doesn't think us irresponsible adults as it is...just go and tell her we've let Tonks get knocked out, _just go and tell her. _Really, she'll come to." But as he held her hand he closed his eyes.

------

_It had him._ It had him, and it wanted more. It wanted her. It _needed_..._it needed her. _


	4. Chapter Four

A sudden, burning stinge on the forehead, and the boy back at Grimmauld Place was flinching in pain. All at once around the table, smiles went stiff and turned to frowns of concern as they confronted Harry,

"What is it, mate?"

"Alright there, chap?"

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"Oh, _Harry, _your scar...and to _think_, Sirius and the rest are milling about..."

A frantic Mrs. Weasley, cold cloth at the ready, suddenly realised what Hermione had said as she was dabbing Harry's brow.

"Oh...oh _Hell_, not_ that_..." Recognising the fact Mrs. Weasley scarcely ever swore, those around the table began to question the intensity of the situation-

"Mum...Mum, it isn't...it can't be, we're so far away..."

But, as far as he could ignore his friend's questions, he _couldn't _do the same for the ripping burn of his scar.

---

_He was getting stronger. Sucking the life from her, he was succeeding. Soon, her soul would belong to him, there she would join the rest- join her precious 'father'...the creature snared at the word- **He** would be her only family now, He and the countless other heart-drained victims he had claimed over the years. He was getting stronger, and the boy could feel it. He could feel it in the boy...he was getting closer to him, ever closer with every sip of life he took from her..._

_"YAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!"_

_---_

"Tonks? Tonks, you there?" Startled at her scream, all of her companions were standing around her, staring at her in panic and confusion. Unaware of what had happened, she smiled and, with a reassuring grin, offered a flighty, "Right you are, boys. Now, what are we standing here for? Mount your brooms and take to the skies- "

"We can't do that, I'm afraid," said Lupin firmly. "You've just been knocked unconscios, Tonks", he placed his hand on her shoulder. "We...were...afraid you might not have...made it."

"But she did," said George. "Glad for it, too", he added to the woman. "Now that we know she's better, why not follow up on her request and finish the game?" He looked to Sirius for support, but at the blank look in his eyes, he was immediately discouraged.

"No, Remus is right," said Sirius in a low, unnatural voice of monotony, quite unlike his usual tone. "Traveling away to an unprotected area in such a large group was foolish. We have to go back." This caught everyone by so much surprise that not even Fred or George could offer a willing protest. To see someone they looked up to so in such a distant manner was disheartening, and to say the least, a bit frightening. One by one, they took to Disapparation, preparing for their return to base.

---

_He was getting weaker. The connection... the bond, had been seemingly broken for the time being. With her scream came His scream too, and surely one of victory had come for the **precious boy. **The boy was nearer to her...her, who He had let slip away! _

_'She will come...' it hissed at Him. 'You have what she wantsss here...she will come.'_

_"Yes, but will she bring with her the boy?"_

_'Massster, think on it... that wretched fool alwaysss playsss hero, of courssse he will come for herrr... you will seee, Massster.'_

_Narrow green eyes glinted maliciously as He told it, "Tell Peter to watch our guest extra carefully. Make sure he treats our dearest Ted Tonks as he would...family."_


	5. Chapter Five

The night was dark upon Grimmauld Place, and the only light that was evident in the green room was given off by the feeble glow of the stars outside the window to the east, and from the minor flicker of the waning fire in the stone place. Harry lay awake, staring at the peeling wallpaper, unable to sleep. It was an unusually cold night for this late in summer, and the fire in the guest room was growing damp. He had a thought to get up to turn over the logs, but decided against it as he pulled his covers about him.

Tonks and the men had returned, within reasonable timing, too, time that was soon enough to quench Molly's worries that something awful had happened. While Mrs. Weasley may have been at ease, even going on to reassure Harry that his forehead pains had been nothing more than a coincidence- Harry couldn't be so sure. The last time his scar had burned nearly as bad as that, he reasoned, somewhat unwillingly, Voldemort had been mere feet away, the twisted look of murder playing across his face. But then, he had been there with him, bound together by destiny, ready for either life or death, upon the will of Dumbledore. And for them, he had chosen life.

So, on this very night, had something not occured to the most formidable degree? He had gone all summer without any willing thoughts of the enemy, but he knew- anytime he could feel his wound burn, anytime he could hear those voices...that snake-like poisonous tongue speak in his mind...all was not so well.

The log in the fire toppled on its side, giving off a strong sizzle before extinguishing itself. An instant chill swept across the boy as he rolled over, got up, and turned it back over, prodding it until the flames again started to sear. He would let it burn the whole night through, oblivious to the possibility of danger that may arise. He would sleep soundly for now, and not think on it until the morning shook him and brought reality to peak.


	6. Chapter Six

She lay sleeping, struggling for conscienceness as she lay there, oblivious to what was becoming of her, unaware of the life that was being drained with every sharp breath she took. As she sat up at last, she inhaled deeply, a breath of stale air mingled with charcoal fumes from the next room down, and as the last fight for life escaped her, she collapsed again on the bed.

_It had won. She was with him now. The pawn was in check. Now for the final piece-_

_----_

_"FOR LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY, OOOH** GOD**!" _

"MRS. WEASLEY! MRS. WEASLEY, WHAT'S WRONG!" Hermione rushed to the woman strewn over the ghostly white figure on the bed. Her breath shortened and her eyes widened as she realised-

"She...Tonks..._dead_?" She had her words barely at a whisper, but they were enough. As the guardian before her nearly fell apart to tears, Remus threw open the door and came to join them.

"What's this now? What- oh. Oh. My..." He took the woman's frail hand, looked her over a moment before declaring with a faint trace of fear,

"She isn't dead. Oh, Molly, listen! She's alright...well, in certain means, anyhow. She's only left us temporarily..."

"Oh, Remus, how long for?"

"I cannot say...It's difficult to tell how even this happened. I've never seen it before, I have to say, although- I've heard of it." He whispered, "_Rare_ case, Molly. This has only ever happened before in situations involving..."

Mrs. Weasley's face went numb as she put her hand over her mouth. "_Him?_" As the woman remained frozen on the floor, Remus instructed with both firmness and desperation,

"Hermione. Will you..._please_, go downstairs; bring Sirius up here, will you? And as far as the rest-" he leaned in toward her..."There's no immediate reason for them to know this right away. But, also, it has to be realized that there is no possible way they won't be informed of it straightaway-" he smiled for a fleeting moment. "Just don't let out too much fear...it's really nothing, as we can hope." Hermione forced a nod as she turned to leave. In a raspy choke, Mrs. Weasley asked,

"You really think this, Remus? That he could have- possessed her somehow?" A thoughtful furrow played across Remus's face for a moment before he replied,

"No, not possessed, as far as I believe...perhaps only stolen away...for however long she's needed..." that being no comfort to Mrs. Weasley, she returned to tears and clinged to Sirius's shoulder, who had just entered the room.

"Molly", said Remus gently. "You know this isn't a time to go to pieces on us. And, the children..." Only now realising what was happening, Sirius grabbed his cousin's hand and began questioning madly,

"How! Who! Her...!..." Remus explained his theory, as the now also frightened man looked on at his defeated relative. Turning to his friend, he grimly said,

"He's got her, hasn't he?" Nodding solemnly, Remus asked,

"But, he wouldn't be needing _her_...unless...unless he needed her to get something else...to get to..."

"_Harry_." Mrs. Weasley , still as the grave, had spoken at last.


	7. Chapter Seven

As Hermione walked into the living room, wiping her face dry and trying to hide the fact that something had gone wrong, all faces turned to her at once.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

"What's all the fuss upstairs for?"

"Hermione- were you_- crying_?" Apparently, her efforts had been useless. She collapsed into the nearest easy chair, burying her head in her hands for a moment before looking up at last.

"Hermione, tell us something!" said Ron, getting up from his game of Exploding Snaps and coming up to question her. In as brave a way as she could muster, she replied,

"Well, it's nothing much really- " she stared at the twins and Ginny as she paused her sentence. George at last said,

"Oh, I get it. Ginny? Kindly leave?" he shoved her into the kitchen and forced the door shut, amid many protests and punches. "Now. How do you soundproof these things?" Ginny burst through the door in a moment, however, and persuaded Hermione,

"Go on..." She sighed and replied,

"Well, I suppose you all will find out anyway...now Ginny, dear, and none of you get worried...it's Tonks, you see. She simply won't come to--" this was met with the same reaction that was found upstairs, and after they quieted, she went on, "she hasn't...died"...she cringed at the word before continuing. "It's just that...she's went away, as Remus said...he could tell somehow..."

"Unconscious?" pondered Fred. "She had a spell of that back at the Burrow, it's probably just caught up with her again-"

"No." snapped Hermione shortly. She took a breath, and then before speaking again, stared at Ginny. The girl put her hands on her hips and said,

"Hermione, now I _know_ you know I'm mature enough to handle this...and I care about Tonks just as much as you do. Go on."

"Ginny...it's not that at all...it's the matter that..." she sighed. "Fine. They think it has to do with...You-Know-Who." Gasps resounded at the instant.

"WHAT?"

"No. It isn't. That's foolish. What would He want with _her?" _Hermione, suddenly jumping up from her chair, screamed,

"Wait! Where is Harry!" Ginny trembled as Fred took her arm and told Hermione,

"He left not more than fifteen minutes ago...he said he'd gone up to bed; that he was tired...quite unlike him for this early at night, if you ask me...Tonks said the same thing, come to think of it..."

Without saying a word more, Hermione flew up the stairs, Ron following close behind, a bit baffled, but trusting his friend knew what she was doing. She grabbed the doorknob to Harry's room, and found it was locked.

"Alohamora!" she screamed, tapping her wand madly at the door. "ALOHAMORA!" She was desperate now, banging on the door with all her might. "Oh, Harry, are you in there? Harry, it's us, _please_, open up!" By now, the whole group was around her, Fred, George, and Ginny, wondering just what had possessed Hermione, and Remus and Sirius donning looks on their faces that were quite like Hermione's. They, too, understanding, rushed to the door, and began to knock furiously. Mrs. Weasley was completely in tears now, and after a good five minutes of pounding the door, Hermione fumed at the two men,

"It's no bloody use! He's in there, same as her. There's no way the door will open." Sirius bared his teeth.

"We _need _to get in there_. I _need to get in there. Hermione..." he suddenly became a bit more gentle as he asked her,

"How did you know he was the same way? That was a brilliant thought...if only we could get to him now..."

"She uses her head, that's how", said Remus, leaning on the door. She could see the connection right away.

"That's not all of it," said Ron suddenly. "She must have known Harry was in trouble...one of the great things about her is she can tell...when one of her friends is in trouble." Hermione tried to smile, but found that the situation at hand was more pressing than his flattering.

"Well, something needs to be done, that's for certain...", said Bill suddenly, appearing from downstairs.

"Bill! We had no idea where you'd been to!" said George, giving his brother a questioning look.

"...And luckily, I know exactly what to do--well, how to open the door, for starters." He was pushed to the door by the crowd and then he went on to say, "I was walking down the hall to my room earlier on, when, as I passed Harry's door, I heard him yelling at something. It was just loud enough that I could hear it from right outside the door. So, naturally, I wanted to know what was going on...I went on inside, and as soon as I came in, he enchanted the door to permanently shut it...(he was not in his right mind, I'll have you know...), and, after struggling with himself for a few moments, he just fell over and was out. It was the most frightening thing, let me just say...I had no idea what to do for him! I figured I should come out and get help, but the spell was for a two-way lock in. Now, using what I'd picked up from Muggle Studies back in the day, I searched my pockets for a pin just the right size...I picked the door lock...apparently wizard charms have no effect on doors..." At this Mr. Weasley nodded intently..."Anyway, so that's how I got out...and how we can get back in. But really, there's not much I can see to do for him right now...all I'd say is to just wait on it."

"Well go on then, open the door!" Fred pushed him to the door. There was some muttering to be heard as Bill picked at the door handle. Then, a creak, a turn, and the door swung open, revealing Harry turned at his side away from them, silent and still as Tonks had been.

"Wait just a minute!" said Mr. Weasley. "There's no need for all of us to go in- Sirius, perhaps you should go...the rest of us...just go downstairs." This was met with protests as well-

"Mr. Weasley, we're just as worried and anxious as anyone...please let us see him..."

"Dad, we've been through much more than this, we can handle anything- "

"Ron...don't...", tried Sirius all of a sudden, hollowness in his voice. Pushing his dad out of the way, Ron rushed at his side and immediately saw his best friend in the most frightening state- his eyes were rolled to the back of his head, his face was drained and white, and his scar glowed a crimson red as it singed and seared.


End file.
